Electric dry shaver



May 2, 1944. H. AMDUR ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER Filed Au 9, 1940 INVENTORatenied May 2, 1944 ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER Leon H. Amdur, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 9, 1940, Serial No. 352,038

25 Claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of Serial Number 176,459,filed November 26, 1937. The invention relates to electric razors or dryshavers. Its chief object is to provide a dry shaver which will give aclose shave upon the first once over the face, without repeated strokingor "scrubbing over the face, as is now necessary in the use of dryshavers. In prior dry shavers only a relatively small part of thecutting surfaces are effective. The chief object of this invention is todevise a dry shaver in which the effective cutting surface is increased.For

the attainment of this and such other objects as may herein appear or bepointed out I have shown one form of my invention in the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic showing, in sectional view, of the principle ofoperation;

cutting members reciprocate at equal speeds;

Fig. 4 is a front sectional view of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational section of a shaver having tooth elements,in which the face contacting member reciprocates at a lower rate thanthe sheathed member; and

Fig. 6 is fragmentary front section of a shaver in which the facecontacting member has an intermittent motion relative to the sheathedmember.

This invention applies to both the type of dry shaver in which themovable cutting member reciprocates in the same direction as thedirection in which the shaver is drawn across the facethis directionwill be defined in this specification as "longitudinal and to the typeof shaver in which the movable cutting member reciprocates in a"transverse" direction, or normally to the longitudinal direction theshaver is drawn across the face. The accompanying drawing illustratesmerely the latter type of shaver, in which the movable cutting-memberreciprocates in a transverse direction. The principle of the inventionWill be expounded in connection with the latter type'of dry shaver, withthe aid of Figs. 1 and 2, wherein 2 represents, in cross section, anumber of longitudinally directed (this direction being normal to thesheet of drawing) elements of the face engaging member. The cuttinmember H) which coacts with the face engaging member, i provided with aplurality of longitudinally directed cutting elements l2 whichcoact'with the face engaging elements 2. There are broadly two types ofdry shavers having transversely moving cutting members, namely, one typein which the face contacting"member is stationary and the cutting memberreciprocates relatively thereto; in the second type the cutting memberis stationary while the face contacting member reciprocates relativelyto the cooperative cutting member, that is, referring to Fig. 1, in thefirst mentioned type the face contacting member 2 is held stationarywhile the cooperative cutting member l0 reciprocates relatively thereto;in the second type mentioned I0 is stationary while the face contactingmember reciprocates relatively thereto. We will assum that the member IDmoves relatively to the face engaging member. Also, in order to expeditethe following description, we will assume that 2 represents bladeelements (1. e., presenting spaced cutting edges extending across thetop of the shaver), rather than teeth elements (which present a cuttingline along the side or sides of the shaver).

The blades 2 of the (stationary) face engaging member are separated byhair entry slots 3. The sides of the blades are usually beveled, asshown, resulting in the formation of cutting edges 2e. The outer edgesof the cutting elements 12 of the movable member I 0 form cutting edges|2e which coact with the cutting edges of 2e of the face contactingelements 2, as member I0 is reciprocated in a transverse direction, left.and right, Fig. 1 (i. e., normally to the longitudinal direction inwhich the razor is drawn across the face). In so drawing the razoracross the face,' the face contacting member is pressed against theskin, so that the elements 2 embed slightly into the skin S, as shown,the elements 2 being received in the depressed portions of the skin andthe skin therebetween being formed into a fold or ridge f squeezed intothe slots 3. The thickness of the embedding elements 2 is such that thecrest of theskin folds a'ndJ2e, with the result that they are shearedoff close to the skin to give a clean shave.

The width of the hair slot 3 is made as narrow as possible, preferablyapproaching hair thickness, whereas the width of the blades, whiledesirable to be made very narrow, must be considerably wider than thehair slots, because of the extreme thinness to which the facecontactpeated stroking or scrubbing" is an inherent requirement in theuse of this type of dry shaver, as will be demonstrated with referenceto Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 2, the skin s is shown as it would appear as the dry shaver isdrawn longitudinally thereacross, in the direction L-L, with the skinshaven only within the slots 3' and the rest remaining unshaven in thesections 2' passed over by the blades 2. That is, the skin is onlypartly shaven as the razor is drawn across the skin, to wit, in theslots; the parts of the skin passed over by the face engaging bladesremain, of course, unshaven. This necessitates that the razor be drawnacross the face again and again until all the-regions are shaven.

Let us suppose that the hair slot 3 is oneflfth the width of the bladeelements 2; hence the shaven portion 3' will be only one-fifth that ofthe unshaven portion 2'. If the shaver is progressively moved sidewiseto present unshaven portions at the hair slots, theoretically therewould be required five passages of the shaver across the face. As amatter of fact, much more than this number would be required, since itwould require too great patience, time and skillon the part of the userto position the shaver so that only unshaven parts of the skin fallwithin the hair slots.

The effectiveness of dry shavers is tremendously increased by theimprovements of my invention, so that the-razor need be drawn only onceover the face, or at the most, a very limited number of times ascompared with the repeated stroking or scrubbing now required. Iaccomplish this result by providing for the movement of both cooperatingcutting members; the

face contacting member is moved in a transverse direction (1. e., normalto the longitudinal direction in which the razor is drawn across theface) as is also the other member. Inasmuch as both members aremovable,the usual nomenclature of a "stationary and a movable cuttingmember becomes. confusing in describing the parts of my device. Themember which is in contact with the face will continue to be termed the-face engaging or "face contacting, member, and the other member will betermed the "sheathed" member, since it is sheathed from the'face by theface engaging member. Both the face engaging member and the sheathedmember move transversely, on line TT, Fig. 2, i. e., normally to thelongitudinal direction L-L in which the shaver is drawn across the face.

to and fro in transverse direction T-T, past the (relatively) stationaryface member, the cutting edges l2e of elements I2 cooperate with thecutting edges 2e of the face elements 2 to shear the hair as shown.However, the face contacting member does not remain stationary butmoves, say, towards the left as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, relative to thefaster reciprocating sheathed member. The leftward shifted position ofthe face member elements 2 is shown in Fig. 1 by the dot-and-dashoutlines of the elements. This results in the presenting of the unshavenportions B, Fig. 2, to the shearing action of the cutters.

The slow reciprocations of the face contacting member exposes thesuccessive or contiguous (preferable, slightly overlapping) skinsections to the more rapidly reciprocating sheathed member. Moredefinitely stated, the slower moving member presents the cutting edge ofits blade elements 2 to the cutting edges of the coacting elements l2 ofthe high speed sheathed member I, so that the hair of the skin sectionssuccessively presented at the slots 2 of the slower moving face member,will be sheared off. The face contacting member is moved over the skinwith ascanning action so that all parts of the skin beneath the memberare successively brought to the slots o'r teeth of the member. Thisresults in a complete cutting of the hair beneath the face contactingmember. In prior dry shavers the face contacting member is stationary sothat no scanning action is pr i ll it is accordingly necessary torepeatedly move the shaver back and forth (known as "scrubbing") overthe same portion of the skin in order to cut all the hair.

Another advantage of the reciprocating face contacting member is moreeffective cutting of the hair at the slots or teeth spaces. are usuallymuch wider than the thickness of the hair. Hence only a portion of thehairs in the spaces, more particularly the hair at the edge of thecutting elements or teeth, are effectively out. That is, hair at thecenter of the slot cannot be cut close to the skin surface since it isspaced some distance away from the cutting edge. In an improved dryshaver of this invention, the reciprocation of the face contact-Preferably, the face contacting member reciprocates at a lower rate ofspeed relative to the sheathed member which reciprocates ataconsiderably higher speed.

The face member moving at a. low rate of speed relatively to thesheathed member, at any one instance the face member. or rather itselements 2, may be considered to be stationary relative to the fastermoving sheathed member l0. One such instance is represented by the solidline position of the face elements 2 shown in Fig. 1. As the sheathedmember reciprocates ing member brings the cutting edges intoeflectivecooperation with the hair and hence results in cutting the hair close tothe skin surface.

Still another advantage of reciprocating the face contacting member isthat the vibration of the member over the skin surface causes theerection of hairs that may have been bent over by contact with theelements or teeth of the face contacting member and hairs growing inbent-over position close to the skin.

Where the blades (or teeth) and the slots of the face engaging memberare designed to be embedded in the skin to present folds of skin Thesease'zgeoe ,being successively presented at the crest of the folds.

In Figs. 3 and 4 is shown a dry shaver embodying the principles of myinvention as explained above. This dry shavertaken merely as anillustration of the applicability of these principles to the broad classof dry shavers having a transversely moving cutting member-has bladeelements (rather than teeth elements, as defined and distinguishedearlier in this specification), and a face contacting member whichreciprocates at the. same speed as the sheathed member. The handle ofthe device is designated 29 and contains a motor, the armature of which,designated 28a, is fixedly mounted on a spindle 28 which is journaled inbearings, in the handle wall, as seen in Fig. 3. The upper end of thehandle 29 has a recess 291' within which is received a block 21bdepending from the shaving head casing 21. As best seen in Fig. 3, thecasing 21 is in the form of a channel to provide a guideway within whichslides the face contacting member 40. The top. outer or face engagingsurface of member 40 is broken up into a plurality of blade elements 42separated by slots 43; the bottom surface of member 40 is made ofsubstantial thickness to serve as a base, which slides in thechannel-shaped guideway of the casing 21.

The interior of the face contacting member M) is hollowed, see Fig. 3,to receive the sheathed cutting member 50, the lower portion or base ofthe outer (face contacting) member 40 being formed as a slideway for-theinner (sheathed) member 50, see Fig. 3. The sheathed member 50 isprovided with cutting elements '52 which coact with the cutting edges ofelements 42 of the face member 40. In the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4,the sheathed member is reciprocated directly from motor shaft 28 bymeans of a lever 58 pivoted on a 'stud 25 secured between the Walls ofthe handle, Fig. 3. The lower end of lever 58 is formed as a fork, 58),Fig. 4, embracing an eccentric disc 28c secured on armature shaft 28.The upper end of lever 58 clears through a passage 21s in the shavinghead casing 21 and a passage 40s in the outer (face contacting) member,and is received in a socket 508 in the sheathed cutting member 50. Henceas the motor rotates, eccentric disc 28c will oscillate lever 58 toreciprocate the inner member toand-fro.

The face contacting member 401s reciprocated directly from motor shaft28 by means of a lever 48 loosely pivoted on the said stud 26; the lowerend of lever'48 is formed as a fork 48f, Fig. 4, embracing an eccentricdisc I 8e secured on armature shaft 28. The upper end of lever d8passes-through clearance 27s in the casing 22 and is received in socket408 of the outer or face contacting member 40.

The sheathed member is preferably reciprocated at a higher speed thanthe sheath member; this form is shown in Fig. 5. Incidentally, Fig.shows tooth elements rather than blade elements as in Fig. 3; the teeth42' of the face contacting member 40 cooperate with teeth 52' ofsheathed member 50. The sheathed member 50 is reciprocate-d directlyfrom the motor shaft 28 by lever 58, one end of which is forked (58f)to'embrace an eccentric disc 2% on shaft 28, andthe other end of whichis received in socket 588 of the sheathed member 50. As before, lever 58is pivoted on a stud 25 and clears in a passage 21s of the shaver headblock 27.

The face contacting .member is reciprocated by a. lever 48, pivoted onstud 25; the end of lever 48 is received in socket 408 of the facemember. Lever 48 clears in a passage 50s of the sheathed member 50 andin passage 21s of the block 21.

The other end of lever 48' is forked (48)) .to

embrace an eccentric disc |8e which, together with a gear l8g to whichit is secured, is loosely mounted on shaft 28. Securedto shaft 28 is apinion 28p meshing .a gear-11g which is mounted, together with a pinionvUp to which it is secured, loosely on a stud II. Pinion Hp meshes thegear lg to cause a slower turning of the latter and the eccentric disc|8e which is secured thereto, the slower turning of the eccentric discresulting in a slower reciprocation of the face contacting member 40relative to the sheathed member 50.

In Fig. '6 is shown the form of the invention in which the facecontacting member is driven through an intermittent mechanism. Lever 48,which drives the face member, is pivoted on stud 26; its end is forked(48 to embrac eccentric disc l'le which, together with the driven member11B of a Geneva intermittent mechanism which is secured thereto, isloosely pivoted on a stud i1. Secured on armature shaft 28 is thedriving member 28A of the intermittent mechanism engaging HB.

Although the invention has been described only in connection with ashaver having hair receiving openings in the form of slots extendingacross I .a fiat surface (Figs. 34) and also'inconnection with a shaverhaving-teeth along its edges (Fig. 5), it is clear that the inventionapplies equally well to shavers having hair receiving openings in theform of circular and non-circular holes in a flat, rounded or othersurface, and to shavers having a rotary or oscillatory sheathed cuttingmember.

In the appended claims the expressions "face contacting member andsheathed member have the meaning given to them above, viz., theformer'refers to the cutting member which is in contact with the faceand the latter expression refers to the other cooperative cuttingmember. In orderthat the number of claims be not unduly multiplied,where one of the two cutting members, e. g., the face contacting member,is stated as having the slower motion or as having an intermittentmotion, etc., itis understood that the claims will be also read toinclude-a shaver in which the "sheathed member" has a slower motion orhas an intermittent motion relative to the face contacting member which,in this case, would be the more rapidly cutting member.

I claim:

1. In a dry shaver adapted to be drawn longitudinally across the face,the combination of a face contacting member movable in a transversedirection and provided with a plurality of spaced elements separated byhair openingsthe edges of the elements being formed as cutting edges ofthe said plurality of elements of the face contacting member.

member extendacross the top surface of the face contacting member andwherein the said cutting elements extend across the said sheathed Imember, to cooperate with the cutting edges of the said face contactingelements.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the said elements of theface contacting member are formed as teeth and wherein the said cuttingelements of the sheathed member are formed as teeth cooperating with thesaid face contacting teeth.

4. In a dry shaver for removing hair from skin surfaces, the combinationof a frame member, a movable cutting member provided with cutting edges,a face contacting member provided with hair entry openings formed ascutting edges, means for moving the said movable cutting memberrelatively to the said face contacting member to efiect a shearingoperation between the said cutting edges, means for moving the said facecontacting member at a different cyclic rate andrelatively to the saidmovable cutting member and relatively to the said frame member totraverse the. said face contacting member over the skin surface, toforce the hair into the hair openings of the face contacting member.

5. In a dry shaver, the combination of a face contacting member providedwith a plurality ofv cutting edges, a sheathed member provided with aplurality of cutting edges and movable to-andfro on a predetermined pathto wipe its said cutting edges across the said cutting edges of the facecontacting member,-and means for moving the said face contacting memberalong the said path at a lower cyclic rate of speed to progressivelyshift the effective shearing points defined by the said wiping of thecooperative cutting edges.

6. In a dry shaver, the combination of a face contacting membercomprised of a plurality of spaced elements separated by hair spaces,the said elements being adapted to be embedded into the skin to pressand tension the hairs of the underlying skin, and motivating means forthe face contacting member to move the plurality of embedded elementsacross the skin whereby the tensioned hairs are released from thereceding ends of the said elements and snap to erect position in thesaid spaces of the face contacting member, and aninner cutter havingspaced elements, the said spaced elements of the face contacting memberand the cutter having cooperative cutting edges and means for moving thesaid inner cutter at a different cyclic rate relative to the facecontacting member to shear the hair between their respective cuttingedges.

7. In a dry shaver, the combination of a face contacting member having aplurality of spaced elements defining hair spaces therebetween, the saidmember being adapted to be pressed into the skin to cause the saidspaced elements to form a sinuous wavein the skin, a movable cuttereffective in cooperation with the said elements of the face contactingmember to shear the hair at the crests of the said sinuous skin wave,and means for traversing the said face contacting member at a differentcyclic rate to advance the said skin said cutting edge of the facemember, the said hair spaces of the face contacting member beingsufliciently wide to accommodate a number of hairs, means for moving theface contacting member at a different cyclic rate so that the saidouting edges of its spaced elements are moved over the hairsaccommodated in its hair spaces, whereby the said hairs are successivelysheared between the said cutting edges and the cutting elements of thesaid sheathed member.

9. In a dry shaver, the combination of a frame member, a movable facecontacting member having spaced elements provided with cutting edgesadapted to be pressed into the skin to force the skin into the spacesbetween elements, a movable sheathed member having cutting elementscooperative with the cutting edges of the said face elements to shearthe hair at the crest of the skin forced into the said spaces, and meansfor moving the two members at different cyclic rates and relatively toeach other and to the said frame member, the movement of the said facecontacting member presenting fresh crest hairs to the said sheathedcutting member.

10. In a dry shaver, the combination of a movable face contactingmember, a movable sheathed member, the' said face contacting memberhaving an intermittent movement whereby the said mem ber remainsstationary for a predeterined period of time relatively to the saidsheathed member which reciprocates past the stationary face contactingmember.

11. In a dry shaver for removing hair from skin surfaces, thecombination of a sheathed cutting member provided with cutting edges, aface contacting member provided with hair entry openings formed ascutting edges, means for moving the said sheathed cutting memberrelatively to the said face contacting member to effect a shearingoperation between the said cutting edges, and means for intermittentlymoving the said face contacting member relatively to the said sheathedmember whereby the said face contacting member alternately remainsstationary while the sheathed member traverses skin surfaces presentedby the face contacting member and alternately moves to present freshskin surfaces to the said sheathed member.

12. In a dry shaver of the type which comprises a handle, a motorcontained therein and an arniature shaft, the combination of a movableface contacting member, a movable sheathed member, two eccentricssecured on the said armature shaft, a lever pivoted in the said handleone end of which is articulated to the said sheathed member and theother end, to one of the said pair of eccentrics and a second pivotedlever one end of which is articulated to the said face contacting memberand the other end, to the other of the said pair of eccentrics.

13. In a dry shaver of the type which comprises a handle, a motorcontained therein and an armature shaft, the combination of a movableface contacting member, a movable sheathed member, an eccentric securedon the said armature shaft, a lever pivoted in the said handle one endof which is articulated to the said sheathed member and the other end,to the said eccentric,

- a second eccentric loosely mounted on the said an armature shaft, thecombination of a movable face contacting member, a movable sheathedmember, an eccentric secured on the said armature shaft, a lever pivotedin the said handle one end of which is articulated to the said sheathedmember and the other end, to the said eccentric, a second eccentricloosely mounted on the said armature shaft, intermittent gearing betweenthe said armature shaft and the said second eccentric, and a secondpivoted lever one end of which is articulated to the said facecontacting member and the other end, to the second said eccentric.

15. In a dry shaver of the type which comprises a handle provided with ashearing head recess and a motor contained in the said handle, thecombination of a shearing head comprising a U-shaped base member securedin the said handle recess, a face contacting member in the form of ahollow shell slidably held in the said base member, a sheathed memberlikewise in the form of a hollow shell slidably held in the hollow ofthe said face contacting member, and means for moving both the said facecontacting and the said sheathed members at different cyclic rates andrelatively to each other and to the said handle.

16. In a dry shaver of the type which comprises a handle provided withashearing head recess and a motor contained in the said handle, thecombination of a shearing head comprising a U- shaped base membersecured in the said handle recess, a U-shaped sheathed member slidablyheld in the said base member, the ends of the legs of the U beingdirected outwardly and provided with teeth, a face contacting memberslidably held between the legs of the said'sheathed member and providedwith a series of teeth along both sides thereof cooperative withthe'teeth of the said sheathed member, and means for moving both thesaid face contacting and the said sheathed members at different cyclicrates and relatively to each other and to the said handle.

17. In a shaver, inner and outer'cutters, means for reciprocating theouter cutter at a relatively slow cyclic speed, and means forreciprocating the inner cutter at a relatively high cyclic speed. 18. Ina shaver, a frame, a skin-engaging cutter having a cutting surface,means for moving the cutter relative to the frame at a. relatively slowcyclic speed so said cutting surface scans the skin surface, asecond-cutter cooperating with said cutting surface, and means formoving the second cutter relative to said frame and to the first cutterat a relatively high cyclic speed.

19. In a shaver, a cutting head having askinengaging surface providedwith hair-receiving ing mounted for transverse movement, and meansdifferent cyclic rates of speed.

openings, means for reciprocating the head through a travel of the orderof the space between the openings whereby the cutting head scans theskin surface, and a cooperating cutter for hair projecting through saidopenings, the said head and the said cutter being reciprocated atdifferent cyclic rates.

20. In a dry shaver the combination of a frame member, a face contactingmember movable relatively to the said frame member, a movable sheathedmember, both said members moving relatively to each other and to thesaid frame member, the cyclic rate of speed of the two members beingdifferent whereby one member moves relatively to the other, and meansfor moving the two members.

21. The combination according to claim 20 wherein the said facecontacting member moves at a cyclic rate of speed which is low inrelation to the cyclic rate of speed of the said sheathed member.

22. In a dry shaver for removing hair from skin surfaces, thecombination of a frame member, a. rapidly moving sheathed cutting memberand a face contacting member movable relative to the said sheathedmember and to the said frame member at a lower cyclic rate of speed topresent successive portions of the said skin surface to the more rapidlymoving sheathed member.

23. In an electric shaver, a comb member having apertures through whichthe hairs are adapted to extend, an oscillating cutter cooperatingtherewith, an electric motor, and means actuated by said motor to causeoscillatory movement of said comb member and of said cutter at differentcyclic rates of speed.

24. In an electric shaver. a comb member having apertures through whichthe hairs are adapted to extend, an oscillating cutter cooperatingtherewith, an electric motor, and means actuated by said motor to causeoscillatory movement of said cutter at a given cyclic rate of speed andto cause oscillatory movement of said comb at a slower cyclic rate ofspeed.

25. In an electric shaver of the type having a motor and a cuttingmember driven thereby, a comb positioned over said cutting member andprovided with apertures to receive the hair for cutting, said comb andcutting member each beactuated by said motor for imparting oscillatorytransverse movements to said comb and to said cutting member, the saidmovements being at LEON H. AMDUR.

